A bishop cries

"I will obey the Pontiff, but it is a day of grief. The reform is canceled"

ORAZIO LA ROCCA

VATICAN CITY - "This day is for me a day of grief. I have a lump in my throat and I do not manage to hold back my tears. But, I will obey the Holy Father, because I am a bishop and because I care for him. However, I cannot hide my sadness for the putting aside of one of the most important reforms of the Second Vatican Council." In fact, Monsignor Luca Brandolini, Bishop of Sora-Aquino-Pontecorvo and member of the Liturgical Committee of the Cei (Italian Episcopal Conference), hardly holds back his tears when he is asked for a comment on the reintroduction of the Tridentine Latin Mass: "Please, do not ask me anything, I do not wish to speak [about it], for I am living the saddest day of my life as a priest, as a bishop, and as a man."

Monsignor Brandolini, why [are you] so upset?

"It is a day of grief, not only for me, but for many who lived and worked in the Second Vatican Council. Today, a reform for which so many labored, at the cost of great sacrifices, animated solely by the wish to renew the Church, has been canceled."

The optional return to the Tridentine Rite represents thus a danger for the Church?

"We hope not. It remains to be seen in the future, but today an important reform of the Council was undermined."

Why are you so touched by the decision taken by Pope Ratzinger?

"The episcopal ring which I carry on my finger belonged to archbishop Annibale Bugnini, the father of the Conciliar liturgical reform. I was, at the time of the Council, a disciple of his and a close co-worker. I was close to him when he worked in that reform and I always recall with how much passion he worked for liturgical renewal. Now, his work has been canceled."

You will not accept the "motu proprio" of Benedict XVI, then?

"I will obey, because I care for the Holy Father. I have for him the same sentiment that a son has for his father. And then, as a bishop, I am bound to obedience. Yet, in my heart, I suffer deeply. I feel as if wounded in my heart, and I cannot help saying it. Nonetheless, if anyone in my diocese will ask me to follow the Tridentine rite, I will not be able to say no. But I do not believe this will happen, because ever since I have been the bishop of Sora-Aquino-Pontecorvo, there has never been anyone who has expressed a similar desire. I am certain that it will always be like this in the future.

Nauseating! Totally nauseating!To have as a model and hero someone like Bugnini....ugh!Fortunatly this bishop, Luca Brandolini (I looked up his diocese in my Annunario Pontificio 2007), is nearly 74 and has only a year to go. I think you be seeing alot of crying, wailing, temper tantrums, hissy fits etc. from that entire group of people world-wide (all around the same age as this bishop)(late 60's and into 70's) who were/are involved in Catholic liturgy and who held Bugnini up as a "god" and Vatican II as moment a new Church was born and the "old Church" discarded.Our holy Pope Benedict XVI has condemned this thinking very strongly in the Motu Proprio. Also the liturgical agenda these radicals formented (Bugnini et al)."Bishop" Bradolini's comments are actually humerous, when you consider that there will be a huge collective "Boo Hoo" from all these people who think like him and Bugnini.I wonder what Archbishop Piero Marini is doing right now?

Who cares about such sectarian cries and tears from this bishop. He is either blatantly ignorant or tries to influence the liberal media towards a more anti-papal attitude (over the motu-proprio), by taking the underdog position, claiming to have been made a Motu Proprio'caust victim now. It might open up doors, I fear.

The nice thing about news reports in Flanders was, that when I checked the teletext on TV on the VRT (Flemish National State TV), it contained an inaccurate rendering of the contents, while on the tv screen a sacrilegious Novus Ordo Mass with an ordinary boat used for "altar table" and with women and men dancing on primitive tones, with some priests and pastoral female assistents in chasubles of an orange-blueish color "celebrating" behind it. It tells you how bad things are and how much needed the MP is for the "Conciliar Church" indeed.

Thus, the aggressor assumes his favourite role, of victim. I've been weeping too, but for somewhat different reasons from Monsignor. A huge weight that has blighted most of my adult life has been lifted. Even saying the Office feels different today. Gratias ago Sancte Pater!

Ah, now I know it is time to sing the Te Deum. One recalls another moment in history, it is said that when Hernan Cortez finally fought his way to the top of the main pyramid in Mexico City, threw down the blood soaked idol there and replaced it with a small statue of Our Lady, a blood curdling wailing was heard as if the demons of the place saw that the end of their ascendancy had come at last and were crying out in anger and in despair. At such times even the demons give thier testimony to the Truth.

I wonder if the lump in his throat is as large as the lumps on the spiritual backs of the faithful who have been beaten, starved, mocked and ridiculed by his episcopal ilk for the sake of their love for the Church's unbroaken liturgical tradition and continuity, which his generation shamelessly vandalized.

His love for the Holy Father is like a son for his Father? How about this, the love of the Faithful for the Holy Mass was that of a husband for their wives, whom they have had to witness being cruelly, violently and repeatedly raped by the very people to whom it was given in trust. Talk about lambs among wolves. No sympathy.

Bare your back bishop, and while you're at it, done some sackcloth and ashes. Your reform is far from cancelled, more's the pity, but don't blame the faithful is we take a little less joy in comic-book religion than you do. Away with you.

Pathetic whining of Freemason Bugnini's disciple. Watching today some youtube video's comparing NO and Tridentine Mass vandalism of those liturgical pseudo-experts can be seen. I can only rejoice and thank God he is so sad and tearful, after forty tearful and sad years of faithful Catholics, at least it is more even now.

My sympathy evaporates when I think of may many friends who never go to Mass. The NO Mass had nothing for us. I'm the same age as Vatican II and I know that in the generation before mine the Council has the same emotional significance as 1917 had for Communists.

It was possible to have some understanding of the anguish of Communists when the truth emerged about the Soviet system as it collapsed into dust.

But not so much understanding that you'd want to rebuild the wall.

The tears of the Church are a constant. When the liberals are crying it means we have stopped.

So this Bishop Luca Brandolini must have had a glorious time during these last 38 years as he watched the disintegration of the Church, and while ecumenism reigned and the Faith suffered. He must have rejoiced as he watched the destruction of sanctuaries, the removal of kneelers, and the installation of tables for altars during the "celebration of the Eucharist." And now he is crying tears (?) because the traditional Latin Mass, missal of 1962, is finally being recognized as a legitimate and extraordinary rite of the liturgy and given its rightful place. I will say a prayer for him so that his agony might be relieved...

What is he complaining about? The "ordinary" Mass is still there, we "extraordinary" rite folks were just allowed some room at the table. Talk about intolerant! "His" rite wasn't suppressed, and driven underground as that would be mean-spirited, and unpastoral. However,that is exactly how the TLM was crushed in 1970. Pope Benedict has righted an old injustice, without causing a potential Schism with those attached to the Pauline rite, a needed correction with Velvet Gloves.

Well, at least he says he will obey. As absurd as his comments are, I would rather see a bishop react like this, while acknowledging a duty of obedience, than see bishops simply pretend that the motu proprio doesn't change anything or doesn't require anything different of them.

Get this poor bishop some grappa and let him cry into it rather than embarrass himself and his "father" in public. This is just the type of personality that molded the changes - one with narcissistic undisciplined emotion.

Utterly astonishing. He is clear, he hates the TLM...how, HOW could someone hate it UNLESS they had evil (or mental disorder) intentions?

Notice how that article NEVER went into details on why the MP was so bad...this is very significant in my mind. It said, "why are you sad about the TLM" he responds, "because Im sad and my life is over..." Is this really an interview? I think this article was bad because it didnt go into any depth...WHY do you dislike the TLM?On the other hand this article was invaluable in that a shepherd of souls would cry over such an issue and despise the TLM (hurting more souls).

I agree with the above posters, this is just the beginning.

I talked with a priest today and he called the media reporting (especially the Reuters article) on the TLM the "Spirit of Summorum Pontificum" just as the "spirit of VII" came in and confused people.

that bishop is pathetic. what a little girl. Id like to give him a wedgie.

the orthodox understand the liturgy better than we do as a church. they see the liturgy as the faith lived out. faith and liturgy are inseparable. the faith is transmitted through the liturgy and not apart from it. this is why you can cause untold harm to the faith by altering the liturgy.

the right worship of our fathers is the right worship today. it's called the democracy of the dead. the catholic faith has been saved despite our bishops by the providential election of Benedict XVI as pope—Deo gratia!

How fitting that the tone and "abuse theme" of that 80's trash folk-pop ballad would so completely mirror the wan, bleating refrain of self-pity offered by this mug. Enough already...HOOK!

But should one be so hard on this Bugnini disciple? How he must suffer, as he watches helplessly while the axe is laid to the root of his master's monument to bourgeois sensibilities. Oh. The. Humanity.

I'm actually weeping myself...over the thought of some of the bishops that have been inflicted on the Church, particularly in these difficult latter days. It's not enough that some are craven; or that some others are mendacious. Worst of all are the mediocrities...because they're just so...very...boring.

Yes, interest in Italy is intense, though uneven throughout the nation. After France and Germany, it is probably the European nation with the greatest number of Catholic faithful attached to the Extraordinary form.

Over the years I have seen so many tears caused by the Nous Ordo. There have been breakdowns of Priests and laity forced to accept the new missal and never ending changes. Many have cried to God for deliverance. To belong to a Church yet be persecuted for holding to a beautiful historic liturgy rather than one created by a loaded committee is to cry and despair all the time. Dear God thank you thank you. Holy Father Pope Benedict I cry wih joy!!

Luca Brandolini is a Vincentian. You cannot get any more to the left than a Vincentian. They are simply NOT Catholic. They are also corrupt. They are VERY corrupt. Too bad, Luca, you old drama queen. Let him cry himself to death. This priest has endured intense persecution for 40 years from the likes of him. I am in no mood to be compassionate to the likes of Luca. Enough is enough. Maybe he'll die of terminal sensitivity.

Dear Bishop, Please go and take two pain killers, have a nice cup of tea and a nice lie down and when you wake up, nothing will have changed just like the beautiful Mass we have regained as a timeless treasure of the Church. This is a glorious day in history whereby at last we can decide for ourselves how we will pray, using one of the most beautiful rites ever given to man by God.

Is it for this very reason for the past few hours that I have spontaneously broken out into maniacal laughter, the parishioners are starting to look concerned. Muhaaaaaaaahaha! When the rumor mills started cranking out the possibility of this document, I couldn't help but think of the wailing and grinding of teeth that many of the misguided would have. I admit the guilty pleasure of imagining their reactions ( I know that I am breaking Fr.Z's rules but I can't resist especially in light of this pathetic admission). Ill get a tissue for the bishop. He should be crying for himself, it is because whacked out liturgies and unnecessary innovations have occurred (and still do),while many bishops have done nothing, that the Holy Father as seen fit to offer a decisive corrective action. Now we have to de-program all of the misconceptions that have been drummed into the heads of many of the faithful by the likes of him.

Damage is done, I was watching yesterday youtube video's including NO abuses, the most serious one I saw was at Oranage County diocese of 'Bishop' Brown. Sacrilege of 'Mass' offered without Credo and Agnus Dei. It was like watching Protestant sassembly. Very serious and sad. It is enough to watch videos like this and rejoice at the crocodile "tears" of this Father's of lies disciple who cries simply because his sinful work of damage is not secure anymore.

Poor Bishop Brandolini. It is always hard for people who reach a point when their life's work is seen to be negligible. It caused grief to many after Vatican II but now the biter's bit. The savage reactions among most of your commentators are repellent and show that offensive attitudes are evenly divided between both polarities. For the rest of us, we have to sit between the cross-fire and keep our heads down. Eventually their corpses will mercifully be lowered into the grave and I hope stability will result. But it will take decades for this to happen as one of the curses of the modern age is that these miserable bigots, left and right, live on far beyond the biblical lifespan and their capacity for unpleasantness increases with age. Yuk!

tQuite unfortunate a successor the apostles would behave in such a way that tries to paint himself as an obedient martyr. In any case, bishops like him are the reason that Summorum Pontificum was so incredibly necessary.

How many tears have been shed over the course of the past 40+ years by REAL Catholics? Setting my skepicism aside reagarding the effectivness of the Motu, I hope that every modernist is experiencing the same emotional breakdown as Bugnini's acolyte Brandolini. Cry me a river! If that doesn't make you feel better, Brandolini, you and your minions should really think about moving out of our Catholic institutions and consider admitting that you are really starting your own religion. Kindly return what was stolen and descecrated over the post Vatican II years to the real Catholic Church. On second thought, keep your ugly, souless, church buildings that have been designed and built with your horrid reforms in mind. Just change the signs to reflect the fact that they are not Catholic! Have a great day!

While I think of Our Lord on the Cross saying: "Forgive them Father, because they know not what the do", and His Divine imperatives to "walk the extra mile" and "to forgive not 7 times but 77", I have to say that the good bishop is laying on the "I'm a victim" stuff a bit thick.

Err, My Lord: "It is not about you!". But given that you sound like a liberal: why are you being so illiberal?

Why can't these people recognise that they and their fellow travellers caused untold real pain to my parent's generation? I've listened to their stories and heard their pain: it was real (and to many remains real).

No one ever apologised to them for having altered the liturgy they loved and illegally denying them access to it for 40 years.

In my view, His Holiness Benedict XVI should have included an apology in his letter for the pain done in the Church's name, in the Council's name, when we all know that the liturgical wreckavation wrought by Archbishop Bugnini (of happily forgotten memory) when it was not what the Council Fathers (such as Archbishop Lefevbre) voted for. I know that apologising is not his style: rather it is more JPII's style. My view has always been that JPII didn't apologise enough: he should have apologised for the pain caused to my parent's generation.....

True reconciliation within the Church will only start when this wrong is recognised and an apology given and forgiveness asked for. Benedict's letter goes a long way towards this.

I attended the Novus Ordo for years before finally giving it up for the beauty and reverence of the Greek (Eastern Catholic) Liturgy (which the Council did not alter but no one is complaining about this) and the Traditional Latin Liturgy.

Sad but now he knows how the other side have felt for the past 40 years when they had the faith of their fathers ripped from them without any dialogue or pastoral concern about the extraordinary thing they had lost. We must pray that even the shepherds will wander back into the fold. This is not a sarcastic statement.

Can I translate this post into Spanish and then publish it in my blog 'Sentire cum Ecclesia'. I Know that the article was written three years ago, but I think that my tranlation would be useful for spanish readers. Of course, I'd mention the original source.Thanks.